The present invention relates to a wheel bearing device, preferably for heavy motor vehicles.
Up to now, the most common bearing application for a non-driven vehicle wheel comprises two single-row tapered roller bearings mounted on each end of a stub axle. For lightweight vehicles it is also known to use a double-row angular contact ball bearing or a deep groove ball bearing and a cylindrical roller bearing. For heavy vehicles all applications comprise two roller bearings, because roller bearings have a greater load capacity than ball bearings of corresponding dimensions. When mounting such roller bearings, the risk of improper tightening of the bearings occurs, since tightening of the bearings takes place by tightening of a nut, which is provided on a threaded portion of the stub axle. Furthermore, the bearings are exposed to great risks of contamination due to the fact that they are not protected during mounting and dismounting when for example, brake parts are replaced or adjusted.
With a device according to the present invention, the characterizing features of which will appear in the accompanying claims, these risks are eliminated. Furthermore, a bearing unit is achieved, which is easy and cheap to make, and with which mounting and dismounting of the wheel and the wheel hub are simplified.